Surveillance of Foodborne Pathogens in Non-Heated Foods in Seoul, 2021–2024

Young Eun Kim; Young-Hee Choi; Jaekyoo Lee; Sohyeon Park; Boram Kwak; Jiyoon Yeon; Hyunjeong Kim; Ouk-Hee Kim; Sujin Jeon

Abstract

Non-heated foods pose an increased risk of foodborne illness because they bypass a final lethal heat treatment. This surveillance study summarizes routine monitoring data on foodborne pathogens in food-service establishments in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 2021 to 2024. A total of 7683 food samples were collected by 25 public health centers, including 1570 non-heated foods categorized as animal-, fishery-, or agricultural-derived. Samples were tested for bacterial and viral foodborne pathogens in accordance with national guidelines issued by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Seven bacterial pathogens were detected among the targeted organisms in non-heated foods, with an overall detection rate of 3.06% (48/1570; 95% CI: 2.31–4.03%), exceeding that observed in heat-treated foods (1.23%; 95% CI: 0.99–1.54%). Bacillus cereus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were the most frequently identified pathogens. Eight non-heated food samples were classified as non-compliant according to MFDS microbiological criteria, including zero-tolerance detections (enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Vibrio vulnificus) and exceedances of quantitative limits (Staphylococcus aureus and generic Escherichia coli). Detection rates were highest in fishery-derived foods (18.18%; 95% CI: 11.15–28.24%) and animal-derived foods (11.63%; 95% CI: 5.07–24.48%), compared with agricultural-derived foods (2.00%; 95% CI: 1.39–2.86%). No Salmonella spp. or enteric viruses were detected in non-heated foods during the study period. These findings support prioritization of non-heated animal- and fishery-derived foods within risk-based surveillance frameworks and reinforce the importance of cold-chain management and cross-contamination control in urban food-service environments.

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